DAYS AFTER Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that many anti-social elements are involved in harassing people in the name of cow protection, alleged gau rakshaks in Surat waylaid a tempo Sunday night on suspicion of carrying beef and beat up its 62-year-old driver, who has a municipal contract to carry animal remains.

The police rescued him and took him to a hospital, where he was found to have suffered fractures in both arms. A case of rioting was later lodged against the cow vigilantes.

According to information, the victim, Ilyas Shaikh, 62, was ferrying hide and bones collected from carcasses at Surat Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) garbage disposal plant in Khajod. He had a contract with the civic body to dispose of hide and bones of dead cattle, the police said.

Shaikh, a resident of Chhota Udepur, was waylaid by a group of around 10 youths at Piyush point area in Pandesara, an industrial area just off Surat main city. The cow vigilantes accused him of carrying beef. They checked the vehicle and found cattle hide and bones, and allegedly assaulted Shaikh. They also damaged his tempo, Shaikh said in his complaint.

Someone in the crowd informed the police, who reached the spot and rescued Shaikh.

He later showed his contract with the SMC. The police subsequently released him and filed a case of rioting against the assailants. “The victim has a contract to collect skin and bones of dead cattle from SMC, and was on way home in Chhota Udepur. We have got names of two people (involved) — Vinod Tiwari and Ramdhani Yadav. We are looking for the others accused. All of them are residents of Pandesara area,” said Inspector N L Desai of Pandesara.